Vehicle.



C. L. BYRON.

VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26, I915.

Patented June 19, 1917.

I 55 lllllllfllllllmlllllll l I Illlllllllllllll II III! 'm'n CHARLES I ,nYnonl or WINNE'IKA, I LLINois.

Zl'o "all whom it may concern:

lie it knownthat I, CHARLES L. BYRON, a citizencof. the United States, residing at Win-notice, in-the county of Cook and State lllinois,- have inventedcertain new and usetul 'lniprovements in Vehicles, of which the following is a :tulls-clear, and exact specification. I

This nvention relates to vehicles, such for 1 0 Weather protective parts thereof and to means for controlling the actuation of said topsor weather protective parts.

(jne of theobjects of'this invention is to render it possible to automatically actuate a vehicle .top "or weather protective part to raise and lower and especially to eompletely miseand'lower the same in an eflicient manner. I

Another in'g actuating movement to be transmitted to the vehicle top or weather protective part fterit is completely raised or further lowering in ovementafter it is completely lowered. *Another object is to make the mechanism fool "pi-00f.

These andother objectsare accomplished by providin a vehicle top or weather protective part aving cotiperating elements by incansof which the top inherently is capable of spreading out when'raised and collapsing whenl'oivered, nieansfior automatically raislower ng said-t ps means for d-1s- V conncctingsaid top from its actuating source "Whenit is raised and lowered, and safety in- *terio'clc. nieansi between different control members,

The invention is illustrated ontlie accoin- 4G panying sheet, of drawings iii which Figure l', Isa side 'cle vationof a vehicle, parts being broken away and some parts shown jdia v gra mm atioallv. embodying nay invention vchicleshowingthe topdown v F1313 isja diagrammatlc view of operative parts. embodying. my .invention, it being notcdthatiill parts exceptthe control members are shown, in plan for the sake of clearness; and,

a it? ml emberandth i Specification of Letters Ietent.

Application filed March 26, 1915. Serial No. 17,112;

exampleas auto vehicles, and more particu-' le'rlywto automatically actuated to s or' object is" to prevent furth er :rais- Fig. 2 isfaragin'entary sideelevation of a is: a detail of a" safety interlock beeng ne p vn'mcnn.

- Patented J one 1951917.

soription and drawin s, and will beparti'cularly pointed out in t eappended claims.

This invention is shown in connection with an automobile 10 having suitably supported studs 11 at the rear portion of the sides on which is pivotally mounted a vehicle top or weather-protective part 12. This top is capable inherently of sprcadinginto a full open position when raised and to collapse completely when lowered. It is essential that th'is'be the case to completely raise and lower the top, automatically in the mostelficient and satisfactory manner; n

The vehicletop 12 includes a main bow 13 pivoted on the studs 11 on both sides of the vehicle. Pivotally secured to this main how a re other. supporting bows letand 15 to the former of which is pivotally secured on each;

side a link lfi to one end of which link is pix'oteda lever member 1 T 1b berxon each side is pivoted to the m 50 13, and toeach of the lever members is piv oted another bow 18'. To the front .ends of,

each of the lever members 17 is pivoted at. 19,

a front bow 20. Pivoted' to the front bow 20 at 21 on one side of connection 19 between lever member 17 and front bow 20 is a link.

2-2 t0 which is pivotallv connected on each side of the top a rod .23, each ofwhich is pivotally connected at 24 to the mainbow 13.

Secured vto the main bow 13; on eachside above connect-ion Qi is a stop niemb er 25 wh ch-I lmntsthe upward movement of rods;

23-. Fastened to the bows inf anysuitable e I As shown in .Fig. 1 the top. is raisedj and the bows links, rods and. levers areal- 5 manner'is a suitable covering26.

ranged accordingly. 'In thisposition the levermembcr 17 ahdfrontbow are in the same horizontal plane, the. pivotal;connection 'or joint 19 being raised or straightened by a relative separating movement between bows 13 and, 14, the .move1nent .to the-jointbeing transmitted through links 16. At the same time the front bow is forc ed into and held in its horizontal position by C06 meing action between links 22 rods 231m stop members; 25.. It is apparent that witihjthis arrangement theiront of the top .iscom-Y pletely extended and openecl.-.when the main bow'13 is raised to its .11 tion. The action betwe to completelyextend til-praised posithereof take the po'sition'as shown-in As iswell known, up-to-date automobiles" a relatively collapsing movement between bows 13 and 14, causing joint 19 to collapse through action of links 116.

.Whemthe top is completely loweredi parts 1g. 2.

are equi ped with electric starters which talte the ormof an electricmotor, the motor receiving current from a suitable "battery,

which battery is replenished'by the motor being driven as'a generator b the-automobile gasolen'e engine, after the atter has been started by the motor.

' shaft is a. motor'34yin' this engine 30 ofthe automobile.- .i 35

3(l'=for starting purposes,- and from the-enine 30: to-drive the motor 34 as a Injone application of my invention,- 'I' take advantage of the e uipment' of the modern automobiles which ave electric motors'for starting the gasolene engine of the auto mobile." In this way the cost of equipping an automobile with my means for automatically raising and lowering tops is reduced to a minimum; -Of course,- I do not limit the invention to the use of an electric motor for thepurpose mentioned, for other suitabl inotors also may be used, l

Ref rence again being had to the-drawings} it. will be seen that theautomobile is provided with any suitable gasolene 101' power engine having secured to'one end of its crankshaft a gear wheel 31 which meshes with agear wheel 32 mounted loosely upon one end of a shaft 33.- Secured to this 1an"electric'motor,. for startin the power be transmittedfromthe motor '34 to engine enerator, t rough the medium of a separabe connection or clutch, one'member 35 of which is formed integrally with the gear 32 andthe other member 360i which is slidab'ly mounted upon and rotatable with, the shaft 33.

" The movable cl'utchn ember 36 is controlled andactuated by a suitablelever 37 pivoted [at 38nd having a' forked portion 39 engag' ing 'a groove 40 in the movable clutch mem l 1 her 36; :This control lever 37-I1 0't only con-' trols the -connection between the motor ;34

- and engine 30, but alsothe supply of current to the electricmotor'f'from "any suitable source,-such for'example, vas a storage battery'i4li? The control lever- 37 has a projee ti'onfofinsulating material"-42 which causes u t hemovable" member 43 of al's"witchi 44 to oifrouitfrom battery -41.. tl1rough wires 46 and I v 4], switch members jltiiand 45, -mQtOI' 34,-vand' ifbhvk w the hatteryf 41, "Thegclos'in'g of .the =6 n t inothe arm-111, th' l passi'into engagement with the stationary switch member for completing an 'eleetrie switch masse se pass. t ba tle i fi in :tliQ'leverj-M, 10524 firsi to cause the was Inf. @1 atte d thenthe m emrliitt reenbelt-B6 p into e gage- 48' causing clutch member 36 to pass artic'ular ease otion may the i notetwr e i de u where it is storedfor later use; 'When the "control lever 37 is'released, itis moved back to its normal position by any suitable spring I g I I out o engagement with clutch member 35, and

' switch members '43 and'45 tosep'arate; the

former bein drawn away from the latter by a su'itab -espring 49" secured to' projection42. g I

This motor 34'also' I use for another purl ose; namely, 'for' actuating or raising and v owering the top orweather protective part 12 of the vehicle. Motion-may be transmitways; In this particular instance motion is transmitted from the motor 34 through shaft 33, suitable clutch and reversing mechanism to be described later, shaft 50 having tedfrom the'motori-34 to the top'inmany a gear 51, meshing with a gear 52 mounted ona cross shaft 53 having-secured thereto on opposite ends thereof-gear members54 and 55, each of Willa mes heslwi-th-.similar "suitably supported-members .56, which -in turn mesh with geared segments-57 mounted ugon the-lower ends of the pivotally mounte main bow member 13 of the top.

clutch member 58 is slidably mounted upon and rotatable with the shaft 50. For raising the-top, the clutch member'shouldbe passed into engagementwith a ooiiperating clutch member 59-formed integrally witha ear 6O .keyed' -to shaft-33". Foralowering t eztop, the clutch member; 58shouldbe passed into .engagen'ienthwith a clutch memberfil ,formed -integrally withfa --l0ose. gear; rotatable on -shaft 50., a. reverse. motion being. given to shaft 50for lowering the top 12. through gearl60 and being mountedtonl a shaft 66 with the second, ,and,v fthef third gear- 65,

meshes withlgears 64 and 62,. Theclutch memberf58ilis' actuated and 2 controlled by asuitablehand lever 67,fwhich' like con'trol lever- 3'Zfis located ,in' aconivenient plaee for lthegoperatorll The-conv 'nection; between the control lever 6.7 and movable-clutch member '58 "inoludes a link 68 conneeted "to kid lever and to lone "arm. ofa bell-crank .69, the-other jb'eing nne ted to: ano her l nk Qll gears 63, 64,-and 65, the.firstm eslnng with ter ofv which is f connected toga .72, having} a laterally portion-'16 which j isjreceivea ...proje fii g po tion 147a rxtgi'rlmgithmugh it and ivota-lly eonn'eetedt'o aelutc -=shifting 'arm 4, dpivotally-mounted fat (5 and havinga fork-e I annular groove What cl utch fmei nber" be;

Therefore, by means of this connection," when the control'leter 67-is pushed forward, movable clutch member 58 is'thrown into engagement clutch member 59, thereby? l making a direct connection between shafts 33 and 50 for raising the top 12. 'At'the same time, bypushing the lever 67 forward anelectricclrcnit is'completed for causing; the motortoraisethe topthrough this con-l nection. This electric circuit is completed by the insulated movable contaetSO at one end of lever 67 moving into engagement with contact segment 81, whereupon current flows from battery 41 through wirestti and 8'2, movable contact 80, segment 81, wire 83,

adjustableresistance 81L, \Vil'B'85, motor well-to prevent further raisin? I Th1s is done being transmitted totlte tap;

by causing the clutch member 58Yt o auto;

a As shown-i1rFigsi1 and 3 of the drawlngs,

the rear of eye portion 91, to actuate clutch 1nati(-.all \"'pass out engagement with 60- operating clutch 59at the" proper time. The" mechanism for accomplishin this result in: eludes an arm 86 secured to'a' shaft 87ffand" lying in the pathfof movement of aproje'ction' 88- on side ofgear '54, which projec tiontas the top is being raisedmoves downward,,.ulfimately' passing into engagement with armfifi causing ittorock shaft 87 clockwise, as 'i'iewed in'FigQ l, thereby movin forward' an arm89,mountedon'said sha t' arm 89 to move forward also. It will noted that the forwardend of-link, 90 has ampmngatedfieye portion 91in which the projectingport'ion 73 of link 72 may move.

th 'top has been completely raised, thepro jection 88 having rotated arm 8.6, shaft 873, 1 arm j89,'and pushedforward'link 90 and projection 73, which at this time engages shifting ai-nr'H to" move clutch member 58 3 from cl utchinember 59 thereby preventing fiirtherfraising movement being transmitted froinfthe motor34 to the top 12. Inthis way nodaniage'will be donerto the top in 'i circuit between the battery l1 and motor 31.

proper timeswhen' the top is being raised member 61, whereupon motion will be transcause clutch memberlhs to engageflclutchi M mitte di from motor 34 through shaftf33,

gears 60, 53, 64,65 and 6:2, clutch members 61 andshaft 50+ se r 1mm; F me 53,, gearsf5et, and meshing respectit'ely;

with gears" 56, which in turn meshwith toothed segments 57} at theendsof'maiu bow 13 to completely lower the tops At the proper tiine durin thetop lowering moremenu another pro ection 93 on the side off, gear 54 passes into engagementjwith and moves arm, 86 upwardly, arm.89 "and link" 90 backwardly to throw clutch member 58 out of engagement with clutch member 61, it. being understood that projection 73' at this] time beingin the front end of eye portion 91.

In this way the clutch is thrown out auto-' matically to prevent further lowering movement being transmitted from the motor '34 to the top 12 after the top is completely lowered. After thetop is loweredthe con trollever will be automatically moved'to neutral position for breaking the current It will be noted that an adjustable resist v I anee' S1 placed'in't-he supply circuit be.-

tween the battery andmotor when the top is being actuated. The function of this ad justable' resistanceis to control the amount of current supplied from" the battery tothe motor to controlthe speed of the -motor.

his desirable that the motor rotate slowly 1 prevent any undue severe strains being thrust upon the parts; Slow rotation of thef; motor would be'a hr'ect cooperation betweenwhen it iszb'eing used to actuatethe top'to 7 the action of thejm'otor andtheautomatic" means forthrowing out the clutch at their 106 and lowered.

This automatic means for throwing out the? clutch at the proper times when the top is being raised and lowered, renders the mech' l anism fool proof and insures no damage being done to the top in its movementsfl 1 To further protect the top I have pro-ff "idedf' a safety interlock between engine eon trol lever 37-and top controllei'er 67.1 3 detail View of the two control levers andith e safety interlock therebetween is shown i Fig. 4:. For the sake of clearness it is not shown in the other figures of the drawings.

end of which is pivotallyconnected to'en- This safety interlock includes a link 95, one I gine-"control lever 37 at the point 96', thef other end" thereof being pivotally connected" to one arm 97 of a bell crank, the other arm of said bell crank having a slot 98 for the reception of alaterally extending projection 99 of a rod'lOO. This rod has a head 101 which is adapted to be received in a slotted portion 102 of a sector plate 103 on the top control lever 67. As shown in Fig. 4, the head 101 of rod 100 is outofthe 45 r a f 3,111 a vehicle, the-combination of atop adapted tojbe actuated, apower engine, a

'starter for said engine, and for actuating. "fsaid top-means for controlling the startlng 50' w foricontrolling the actuationof said top by slotlllQ so that either lever or3 7 may be operated. The headlOl of rod, 100 may be moved into the slot I02 of sector plate 103- 'moved when the head 101 is in slot 102. By

means ofthis arrangement-the top 12 cannot .be connected to-powerishaft33 when the motor '34 and engine 3,0"are'f connected to each other. On the other hand, when the head 101 is. withdrawn from slot 102, thetop control lever:67.'ma v be moved either way for the desired purposes; .Butwhen lever 67lis' moved in either, direction from its normal neutral position, the curved topof thehead 101aengages thecurved lower edge-104,101?

the top-maybe actuated safely-without fear the sector plate 103, thereby locking the engine controllever *37 against a movement to connect the motor 34 and engine 30. The

engine controlflever 37 being thus locked,

of damaging same. This safety interlock addsto the fool proof feature of thearrangement. I

Itis evident that-various modifications of the arrangement 'her shown" may belmade in-the followingrclaims-t and it is my intention to cover allsuch modiv fications which do not depart from fthe spirit and scope of my invention as set forth f 1." In a vehicle, the combination of top.

adapted tc'be actuated, a motor-therefor, a connection between "sa d top and motor,

nieans for controlling said motor and said connection, and other means for controllmg 7 said connection under certain conditions 2. In combinatioma vehicle body, a top monnted thereon and movable to and from operative position, an engine for pro pelling the vehicle; and power means 'for actuat' g said engiha'nd for moving'said two-"c ontrollingmeans.

top.

of said power engine by saidstarter, means said tart'er, and an interlock between-5 said mounted thereon and 'movableito and 'from an operative position, an engine for pro- "pellin'gthe vehicle,- power means for'actu-.,-: at ing engine a nd for movmg said top,

ggine and motor.

saidtop. V

and means for controlling the transmission o f power from said power. means to Send engme and tops, .s

5.. In. a vehicle, the. combination of a top 6- In a veh'cle,ithe combination a top adapted to; be actuated, a power engine, means, for starting said engineand actnating said top, and means to prevent one of these operations while the other is being.

done. v

7; In avehicle, the combinationof a top adapted to be actuated, a power engine, a motor for, starting said engine and actuating said top, and means to prevent mo-H tion being; transmitted to said top whenino ,tion' isbeing transmitted between vsaid en- 8.In a vehicle, the combination of top adapted to be actuated, a power engine,

meansfor actuating said engine and top, a I connectlon between Sflld means and said top; a connection between said means, and ,saidengine, and controlmeans for, said connections whereby, ,when one of said con-i v nections is effective the other is inefi'ective 9 In a Vehicle, the, combination,- of a top adapted to be actuated, a power engine,

' means for actuating'said-engine and top, a

connection between saidme'ansland said top, I a connection between said means and said engine, acontroL-memberfor each of said connections, and means wherebyonly one of saidjcontrol members can be operatedat a time- 1. A a

10.,In avehicle, -the combination of a;ve-

hicleubody, atop mountedom said body and adaptedto' beactuated, a; owerengine for propelling the vehicle, an a -single power mechanism for actuating said engine and ;11.;In-a vehicle, the combination re top adapted to 'be actuated; a power engine for .propelling the vehicle, and means located between said top -and saidpower engine for actuating the-top and-powerengine.

12. In a vehicle, the combinationof a top adapted to be raised, a powerengme for propelling? the, vehicle, means for starting A L "saidiengine and :also'forraising said top, 1 4,' In combination, a vehicle body, a top aconnection between saidmeans. and top,

a connection between said means and engine, and control means for said connections. 

